COMMITTEE FOR AGRICULTURE AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
TUESDAY 01 JUNE 2010
ROOM 30, PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS
Present:
Mr PJ Bradley MLA
Mr Willie Clarke MLA
Mr Pat Doherty MP MLA
Mr Tom Elliott MLA (Deputy Chairperson)
Mr William Irwin MLA
Mr Kieran McCarthy MLA
Dr William McCrea MP MLA
Mr Ian Paisley Jnr. MP MLA (Chairperson)
Mr George Savage MLA
Mr Jim Shannon MP MLA
In attendance:
Mr Paul Carlisle (Clerk to the Committee)
Mrs Shauna Mageean (Assistant Assembly Clerk)
Mr Mark O’Hare (Clerical Supervisor)
Mr Michael McCoy (Clerical Officer)
Apologies: none
1.35pm The meeting commenced in public session
1. Apologies
As above
2. Minutes
Agreed: The Committee agreed the Minutes of the meeting of 25 May 2010
3. Matters arising
(a) Correspondence issued
The Committee noted the correspondence issued since the meeting of 25 May 2010.
(b) Correspondence received
The Committee noted the correspondence received since the meeting of 25 May 2010.
Agreed: The Committee noted correspondence from the Committee for Health, Social Services and Public Safety requesting that correspondence to the Minister with regard to the Sunbeds Bill be forwarded to the Department and agreed to forward the correspondence.
4. Presentation: Food Standards Agency NI & DARD: Feed Testing & Safety following the dioxin contamination incident of December 2008
1.38pm The following departmental officials joined the meeting:
Mrs Maria Jennings – Deputy Director, FSA in NI;
Dr Kirsten Dunbar – Head of Primary Production, FSA in NI;
Mr Wilf Weatherup – Head of Quality Assurance Branch, DARD,
Mr Stephen Nixon – Head of Animal Feed, DARD.
The officials presented to Committee in respect of the above. Following the presentation, Members put questions.
1.39pm Mr Shannon entered the meeting
1.44pm Mr Shannon left the meeting
1.45pm Mr Elliott entered the meeting
1.46pm Mr Shannon rejoined the meeting
2.00pm Mr McCarthy entered the meeting
2.13pm Mr Doherty left the meeting
2.29pm Mr Shannon left the meeting
2.31pm Mr McCarthy left the meeting
2.31pm Mr Bradley left the meeting
2.32pm Mr Savage left the meeting
2.33pm The officials left the meeting
2.33pm The meeting was suspended
3.08pm The meeting resumed in public session
5. Presentation: DARD – Dogs (Amendment) Bill
3.08pm The following departmental officials joined the meeting:
Dr Mark Browne - Deputy Secretary, Central Policy Group
Ms Colette McMaster - Director, Animal Health and Welfare Policy
Mr John Terrington - Head of Dog Control Bill Team
Mr Martin Mooney - Deputy Head of Dog Control Bill Team
The officials presented to Committee in respect of the above. Following the presentation, Members put questions.
3.17pm Mr Shannon rejoined the meeting
3.23pm Mr Savage left the meeting
3.25pm Mr Irwin rejoined the meeting
3.28pm Mr Doherty rejoined the meeting
3.31pm Mr Savage rejoined the meeting
3.35pm Mr Bradley rejoined the meeting
3.45pm The officials left the meeting
6. Presentation: DARD – PfG/PSA Outturn Report 2009/10
3.46pm The following departmental officials joined the meeting:
Mr John Smith - Grade 5, Assistant Secretary
Mr Tom Rodgers - Grade 7, Principal Officer
The officials presented to Committee in respect of the above. Following the presentation, Members put questions.
3.46pm Mr Doherty left the meeting
3.46pm Mr Elliott left the meeting
3.54pm Dr McCrea left the meeting
4.02pm Mr Shannon left the meeting
4.08pm Mr Elliott rejoined the meeting
4.16pm Mr Doherty rejoined the meeting
4.16pm Mr Clarke left the meeting
4.17pm Mr Elliott, the deputy Chairperson, took the Chair
4.17pm Mr Paisley Jnr. left the meeting
4.20pm Mr Shannon rejoined the meeting
4.34pm The officials left the meeting
4.35pm Mr Savage left the meeting
8. Pre-consultation: EC Directive 2009/145 Amateur Vegetables Directive
Agreed: The Committee agreed to consider agenda item 8 as the next item.
Agreed: The Committee agreed that officials should present to Committee when a detailed analysis of responses has been undertaken
9. Pre-consultation: Strategy for the Sustainability of the Honey Bee
Agreed: The Committee agreed to consider agenda item 9 as the next item.
Agreed: The Committee agreed that officials should present to Committee when a detailed analysis of responses has been undertaken
11. SL1: Plant Health (Amendment) Order ( Northern Ireland) 2010
Agreed: The Committee agreed to consider agenda item 11 as the next item.
Agreed: Members agreed that SL1: Plant Health (Amendment) Order ( Northern Ireland) 2010 should progress to the next legislative stage.
12. SR 2010 / 168: Sea Fishing (Enforcement of Community Control Measures) (Amendment) Order ( Northern Ireland) 2010
Agreed: The Committee agreed to consider agenda item 12 as the next item.
Agreed: That the Committee for Agriculture and Rural Development has considered the Sea Fishing (Enforcement of Community Control Measures) (Amendment) Order ( Northern Ireland) 2010 and has no objection to the rule.
13. SR 2010/174: Common Agricultural Policy Single Payment and Support Schemes (Cross Compliance) (Amendment) Regulations ( Northern Ireland) 2010
Agreed: The Committee agreed to consider agenda item 13 as the next item.
Agreed: That the Committee for Agriculture and Rural Development has considered the Common Agricultural Policy Single Payment and Support Schemes (Cross Compliance) (Amendment) Regulations ( Northern Ireland) 2010 and has no objection to the rule.
14. SR 2010/176: Biosecurity Guidance (Specification of Brucellosis) Order ( Northern Ireland) 2010
Agreed: The Committee agreed to consider agenda item 14 as the next item.
Agreed: That the Committee for Agriculture and Rural Development has considered the Biosecurity Guidance (Specification of Brucellosis) Order ( Northern Ireland) 2010 and has no objection to the rule.
15. Any Other Business
Agreed: The Committee agreed to consider agenda item 15 as the next item.
Agreed: The Committee considered the draft response in relation to the Committee for Finance and Personnel’s inquiry into the Role of the NI Assembly in scrutinising the Executive’s Budget and Expenditure and agreed this response as the Committee response and agreed that this should be forwarded to the Committee for Finance and Personnel.
7. Presentation: DARD – Departmental Appeals Process
Agreed: The Committee agreed to consider agenda item 7 as the next item.
4.40pm The following departmental officials joined the meeting:
Dr Andrew Elliott - Grade 5, Assistant Secretary
Ms Valerie Bell - Grade 7, Principal Officer
The officials presented to Committee in respect of the above. Following the presentation, Members put questions.
4.41pm Mr Shannon left the meeting
4.41pm The meeting was inquorate
4.42pm Mr Shannon rejoined the meeting
4.42pm The meeting was in quorum
4.49pm Mr Shannon left the meeting
4.49pm The meeting was inquorate
5.05pm The officials left the meeting
10. SL1: Common Agricultural Policy Support Schemes (Review of Decisions) Regulations ( Northern Ireland) 2010
As the meeting was inquorate, a decision could not be taken in respect of this matter.
16. Date of the next meeting
The next Committee meeting will be on Tuesday 15 June 2010 at 12.30pm in Room 30, Parliament Buildings.
5.08pm The meeting was adjourned
Mr Ian Paisley Jnr.
Chairperson, Committee for Agriculture and Rural Development